28 Apr 2014

Gaze grabs sixth in Mountain Bike World Cup in Cairns

9:50 am on 28 April 2014

The Waikato cyclist Sam Gaze has finished sixth in the under-23 cross-country Mountain Bike World Cup in Cairns.

The 18-year-old, who won the Eliminator title on the first day of the event, enjoyed a strong race in his debut at the under-23 level in a World Cup.

Gaze, the national champion, was the best of the New Zealanders after former junior world champion Anton Cooper did not start after suffering from a fever and deciding not to race.

Gaze finished in 1:30.02, just over four minutes from winner Victor Koretzky, the 2011 junior world champion, from France.

North Canterbury's Craig Oliver enjoyed his first top-10 finish in a World Cup at this level in 1:32.31, while Queenstown's Kate Fluker was best of the elite women in 17th place, finished 10 minutes behind winner Eva Lechner from Italy.

Rotorua's Carl Jones enjoyed a solid performance in the elite men's race to finish in 31st place, 10 minutes behind the winner, Frenchman Julien Absalon.

Cairns will be the venue for the world championships in 2017.